'US should term Pak a terrorist state'

Published: Wednesday, March 31, 2010, 12:22 [IST]

Subscribe to Oneindia News

Washington, Mar 31: Expressing resentment towards US military aid to Pakistan, an Indian American group on Wednesday, Mar 31 asked the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to declare Pakistan as a terrorist state and stop its military aid to nation.

"Instead of penalizing Pakistan for its support to the notorious terrorists and spreading global terrorism, US, unfortunately, is rewarding this country with the deadly weapons and billions of dollars of hard cash," Narayan Kataria, head of New York-based Indian American Intellectual Forum, said in a letter to Clinton.

In their letter, which has been sent to several influential lawmakers, the Forum asked US to declare Pakistan as a terrorist state.

"We should recognize in unambiguous terms that Pakistan is the root cause of terror and instability in that region. In order to win the war in Afghanistan it is essential that American war strategy should be focused on Pakistan. In the next 18 months, American troops will be leaving Af-Pak region," Kataria said.

In the letter, the Forum criticised US policy of propping up Pakistan by selling deadly F-16 to Pakistan Air Force together with other advanced weapons and avionics for air-to-air combat, while trying to balance strategic partnership with India.

The Forum said that US move was uncalled for as the weapons could be directed towards India.

"This is being done in spite of the admission by General (Pervez) Musharraf that Pakistan is modifying the arms, which are meant to fight the terrorists, for use against India," the letter said.

"Intelligence inputs received by Indian officials indicate that Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba has acquired as many as 50 paragliding equipments from China for the potential use to launch suicide attacks in India. This, obviously, could not be accomplished without Pakistan's active connivance, complicity and tactical support," it said.